


Evisceration

by Gabu



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Brain Injury, Epilepsy, Gen, Humanstuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-09-26
Updated: 2013-09-16
Packaged: 2017-11-15 02:39:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/522238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gabu/pseuds/Gabu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After an incredibly serious car accident, pieces are picked up and glued together the best they can.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The LibreOffice document for this: I Don't Even Know.odt. Probably the most accurate description. Also what is good summary writing? We just don't know.

Sollux's first sensation was a splitting pain on the right side of his body, and it felt as though he had slammed right into a wall. He forced to peel his eyes open, however he could only get his left eye to blink open into blinding white light. The incessant, loud buzzing in his ears and the piercing light combined into a moment of terror. What was going on? What was happening to him? Was this some twisted version of the afterlife? Or hell? He could swear that he heard murmuring beyond the slowly fading buzzing, and after a moment of hesitation, called out to those voices.

“Where am I?”

His left eye was growing used to the light washing into it, and could begin seeing darkened forms grow nearer to him.

“Sollux?” The voice sounded familiar.

“...Aradia?”

“Yes, it's me.”

Another voice pierced through the buzzing, this one much harsher.

“Wake the fuck up you dumbass!”

“K-Karkat?”

“Who else?”

“I-I can't see. Too bright.”

Sollux vaguely heard footsteps, and almost immediately after the light dimmed considerably. He could see his friend's ever-scowling face grimace right at him. His hearing was almost completely cleared up, though it felt slightly muffled on the right.

“Is this better?”

“Much better.” Aradia reappeared into Sollux's line of sight.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like shit.”

“There was a terrible accident.”

“Oh God...”

“Yeah, but at least YOU will be just fine.” sneered Karkat.

“Essentially, yeah. The concussion should clear up completely, and your broken arm should mend.”

“My eye, though...”

“It's swollen shut, dumbass.”

“Shut up, KK.”

“Also they packed your ear full of gauze. Like fuck do I know why. In case you were shitting yourself with that minute detail.”

“I was... but... accident?”

“Do you remember anything?” asked Aradia.

“No. Was I the only one? What was terrible?”

Aradia became silent. She looked as though she would start sobbing at any minute. After a momernt, Karkat sighed, realizing that he would have to be tasked as the messenger and would likely be shot at at least several times.

“Your brother got fucked up badly.”

“Wait. Mituna was with me?”

“No shit, Sollux. Well... okay you don't really remember that he was sitting right next to you, but yeah. He was in the passenger seat. The car got crushed like a fucking can there. Fucker has braces around his neck and jaw and other broken bones.”

“He's alive though, right?”

“Duh. Otherwise I would have told you that Mituna's fucking dead. But he's not. You're gonna wish that he was though.”

“W...What the hell, KK? Why the fuck did you say that? So he broke some bones. He's alive. He'll pull through and brush it off the best he can. That's what he always does.”

“He broke his skull.” Aradia finally said. “He had a massive brain injury and the doctors aren't sure what's going to happen if he does live.”

Sollux was too stunned to respond. The full minute that passed before anyone spoke felt like a heart-crushing eternity.

“...How is he right now? Is he... awake?”

“Comatose.” Aradia answered flatly. “He's been like that for over two days now.”

“Two days? Have I been out that long?”

“You were too fucking stoned from the goddamn painkillers they were giving you.” Karkat huffed. “They've been lowering the dosage so you wouldn't be a drooling mess when you'd actually be awake.”

“I think I understand...” Sollux was confused, in all honesty, but the drugs in his bloodstream made his mind too fuzzy and apathetic to those facts. “I want to see Mituna.”

“You can't, dumbass! The doctors don't want you sitting up right now! It's going to be days before you can even get out of bed!”

“I have to see him! As soon as possible!”

“Sollux, you're in no shape to do much right now.” Aradia said. “Just try to get some rest, and we'll talk to the doctors and see if they can let you visit Mituna sooner. But only if you promise to rest.”

“...O-okay. I'll do that.”

“Thank you, Sollux. We'll tell you anything new when it comes up.”

“Okay.” Sollux trailed off.

“See you tomorrow or something.” Karkat grunted.

“Sure, KK.”

As Aradia and Karkat left Sollux's hospital room to give him some rest, Sollux could only think of his brother. There was a heavy feeling in his gut that almost made him sick. He wasn't sure if he should cry or shout, but as the morphine started taking over his senses once more, he just uttered. “Goddamn it, Mituna.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fact is I should have planned this whole story out more than 'Oh God what if Sollux and Mituna were twins and something terrible happens and then stuff'

For as long as either of them could remember, they were always noted by friends and relatives that they were, without a doubt, twins. They were both born in the same pre-dawn late May morning, about ten minutes apart from one another. The first was Mituna, and he was followed by his younger brother, Sollux.  
With the exception of a few personality differences, they were exactly alike. Both could not figure out whether their favorite color was red or blue (with yellow being a close second). They both developed lisps that they could never quite shake. They loved the idea of telekinesis as small children, and would try for hours on end to move a feather with their minds. They even liked the same type of clothes, even down to the same designs...

–

It was five days since the accident. Sollux's recovery from his own concussion was unusually swift and robust, and given that fact the doctors reluctantly allowed him to see his brother before discharge. From what Aradia had told him, Mituna was still in a coma, but was starting to make sounds and attempt movement, which at least showed a decent prognosis with his neck injury. Sollux knew ahead of time the description of what his brother looked like, but he could still not prepare himself for that moment when he could finally see Mituna.

His brother was not only in jaw and neck braces, but from what Sollux could see something quite resembling a helmet secured tightly underneath a swath of bandages, another brace and cast on his knee – the left one, appropriately enough – and even more gauze and bandages throughout his body. In short, Mituna was in really shitty shape.

“Jesus fuck.” Sollux breathed while rubbing his hand across his own cast. “MT? Can you hear me?”

There was a weak, nearly inaudible whine, and Mituna awkwardly jerked his arms slightly upwards.

“I guess that means yes or something... but don't force yourself right now.” Sollux gave a half hearted chuckle, hoping Mituna would laugh in return, but all he got was another whining noise.

“Okay, you're in a lot of pain. I know, MT. Just bear with it. You're gonna be fine, trust me.”

A longer, louder whine emitted from Mituna as though it was a response to the contrary.

“Okay, so not right away. Might take a while. Still.”

“Yekmssfker...” Mituna grunted through his wired mouth.

Sollux had no idea what Mituna said, if anything, but it probably ended with a 'fucker'. Yet Sollux still felt relieved that at least Mituna was slowly coming out of his coma.

“Hi Sollux!” Sollux turned around and saw Latula, his brother's girlfriend. “'Sup? Feelin' better?”

“...Most part, yeah. Head aches like crazy and have crazy vertigo on the Vicodin, but not gonna die soon.”

“Awesome!”

“Here to see my brother?”

Latula's perky, cool demeanor softened. “Yeah. I see him every day. Tell him all the awesome stuff I did since I last saw him,” she paused. “I hope he understands what I'm saying.”

“He's been moaning at me and trying to move his arms and shit. I think he called me a fucker.” Mituna gave another moan of unintelligible, garbled speech.

“Cool! Maybe he's gonna wake up today or something.”

“Maybe.” Sollux wondered for a moment if he really wanted his brother to wake up.

“Anyway, what's up, 'Tuna? Kicking ass and taking names?” Mituna rolled an arm towards Latula, and she grasped it readily. “Eager to wake up. Nice!”

Sollux sat back in one of the two chairs in the room and vaguely listened to Latula rattle off all of these events in her life, including her continued efforts to master some 'awesome skating tricks' that she really wanted to teach Mituna when he got better. Sollux would stir from his boredom-induced naps whenever Mituna would make noises or move, but would otherwise continue dozing off otherwise. He began to daydream about what was going to happened to Mituna, drifting to the idea that the damage sustained was nothing more serious than amnesia. It just had to be, Sollux thought. It'd be a tough thing to go through, sure, but Mituna would still be Mituna. He didn't want to think of anything worse. Just a ton of physical injuries with a side of amnesia, he kept telling himself. Mituna would be back to normal in a few months, just like Sollux's arm.

“OH GOD, SOLLUX!”

Sollux jolted awake. “Wha-what's-wait! Wha?”

“I think Mituna's awake!”

Sollux rushed over to the bed and, like Latula said, Mintuna looked awake. His eyes were open, and was blinking, though he seemed... really off.

“MT, are you alright?”

“Nuhhhhhhurrbn... lutt.”

Sollux was confused. “What'd you say?”

“PAINBFUCTIN...!” Mituna screamed despite his jaw wired shut. He took a swipe at his brotherwith an awkward hand posture, but missed by a complete foot.

“...You're not alright...”

The daydream shattered. This was not Mituna.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Help what is good story.

As they got older, though, subtle differences arose. It became clear to those that knew the two boys well that Mituna was the more adventurous and outgoing of the two, while Sollux preferred to remain cautious and was a little on the shy side. Mituna had a more optimistic view of things whereas Sollux carried an air of pessimism. Mituna was more of a sore loser at video games than Sollux, though was also more adept at finding neat things within them...

\--

“Sollux?” Aradia knocked on his bedroom door. The moment Aradia drove him back to their apartment to recuperate, he had gone to his room and locked the door behind him. Now it was almost a full day later, and Aradia began to worry. She was sure he hasn't eaten, so she came to his door offering his favorite breakfast. “Can I come in?”

Aradia could hear shuffling from within, and after a small click from the door, it was opened. It looked as though Sollux had been crying, if the red, puffy eyes, stained glasses lens and hair glued to his cheeks were any indication. In fact, it was proof positive that Sollux was crying.

“What do you want?” his tongue lashed out. Aradia knew he probably didn't mean to sound so rude. She had known him since grade school, and knowing of his bipolar disorder, he was probably still in the throes of of a downward spiral.

Aradia offered the breakfast. “I thought you would be hungry, so I made you an omelet and toast with raspberry and blueberry jam.”

Sollux, after a long moment of paused thinking, allowed his stomach to make the decision for him. He gestured Aradia in, uttering a small thanks for the food. They both sat down on his bed, and Sollux ate in silence. Aradia watched him, wondering if her best friend would say anything, but Sollux methodically and mechanically ate his breakfast with a look of pure despair. When Aradia thought he would never utter a word, Sollux stopped eating and sighed.

“He got fucked up.”

“...I know...”

“He'll never be his normal self... how can I deal with that?”

“You'll find a way. You've always been incredibly resourceful.”

“It's like I've lost my parents again. Except somehow... worse? I don't even know. But he's gonna need me. Yet I can't... I won't be able to... how can I work this out?”

“Sollux, we're not just going to sit back and make you do this alone. Latula and I have been talking a lot since the accident, and we've agreed that neither of us are going to back away. I love you, and Latula loves your brother too much to abandon you guys.”

“...I guess...” The reassurance just seemed to pass through Sollux, as he seemed barely helped by the kind words.

“Latula's been by Mituna's side since he woke up.” Aradia noted, “She says he's been impossible to understand, and seems largely unaware of anything other than pain, though she has been able to soothe and calm him. He seemed slightly less agitated from the pain today than yesterday. There is some semblance of him getting better already.”

“He's never going to get better. He's going to be a brain dead, goddamn, fucking moron.”

“He's never going to get completely better. It's going to be a fact. But it's not like he's also never going to improve.”

Sollux nibbled on the last of his omelet. “...True, I suppose...”

“He's going to need you.”

“I know.”

“The doctors are going to keep Mituna at the hospital until they are certain his in-patient therapy gives him enough back to be discharged.”

“Then he's our problem...”

“Ugh. Sollux, I'm not trying to say that he's going to... I mean that he isn't...” Aradia had gotten flustered, a rarity. “I know this is hard.”

“It is! His life has gone and fucked itself up. I want to fix it! But it's not going to! I-I don't think I want to see him again!”

“He's your twin!”

“I know! That's why he was so awesome to me! He's different now and it fucking sucks and I hate it and I hate him and why is this happening?”

Sollux flopped down on his bed and pulled the covers over him the best he could with one good arm and with another person sitting on his bed. “Fucking hate everything right now. Just... leave me alone.”

Aradia sighed sympathetically. “I think I understand.” She stood up and made her way out of Sollux's room, stopping at his door. “Just... tell me when you're ready to see him.”

“Sure...” Sollux said flatly. “Thank you...”

“No problem, Sollux.” Aradia smiled. “It's okay to take your time here.”

“Yeah.” Sollux paused. “Can we see him... in two days or something?”

“Absolutely.”

“I need to be there for him.”

“I know. He's your brother.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hai, AO3. School and terrible writer's block can be jerks.

Sollux shuffled the objects he had stuffed under his good arm even though they still slid back into the precarious positions they were in. He had been driven to the hospital several hours before by Aradia for a doctor's appointment, but had obviously made it clear with the things he brought along that he wished to stay for a while and visit his brother. A nurse escorted Sollux to Mituna's room after what felt like eons of impatient waiting in the hospital lobby.

“...Is he awake?”

“He was sleeping the last time he was checked. You can still visit him if he's still asleep.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“No problem. Though call someone down if he does wake up. We want to check on him then.”

“Sure.”

The nurse showed Sollux the door of his brother's room. “He's in here.”

Sollux nodded in thanks and after a few seconds of hesitation, went inside. Mituna was, of course, there, with nearly the same amount of tubes connected to him in various parts of his body. He had his eyes open, but were largely unfocused. They seemed to focus in a little when Sollux came into his line of sight, though Sollux wasn't wholly convinced Mituna was indeed looking at him, but decided to take this to his advantage and get in as much uninterrupted time as possible with his brother. Screw the damn doctors.

Sollux stuttered. “...Sup, Mituna?”

Mituna flickered his eyelids a little and let out a small moan.

“Sucks.” he paused. “...Umm... so I brought along some things. I got a card from work in the mail the other day. Everyone hopes you'll be able to come back eventually. They even drew some tunas on there because, you know. Mituna's your name and stuff.” God, this was getting awkward as hell way too fast. “I also borrowed some board games. I know you love Scrabble, so I remembered to bring that. Also brought along Clue, Monopoly and Candyland... Terezi made me with the last one. That and checkers. I dunno. I'm not sure if you can even play them right now, but who knows? You might just be really, really, really bored.”

Mituna lifted his good arm haltingly towards Sollux, albeit not exactly towards the games, and grunted a “Yus.” between his teeth.

“Glad I showed up?” Sollux grinned.

“Yuss...”

“Play Scrabble?” Mituna stared off into the room with no particular object of focus, which made Sollux panic a little. “Don't lose me, Mituna. Try to focus.”

“...Yuss.” Mituna drooled. It wasn't so much of a confirmation than a reflex, yet Sollux decided to ignore that and set up the game. Sollux went ahead and started with 'nether'.

“Your go.” Sollux waited for a moment and hoped Mituna would put down anything. He didn't, but he was looking at the board, which was a decent sign that his brother wasn't utterly brain dead. “Mituna, it's your turn.”

Mituna blinked, probably the first time since Sollux had come, and looked more focused, but somewhat confused and seemingly with a drifting attention span. He still didn't put down anything before he had drifted away again. Sollux sighed, and let himself peek at Mituna's tiles. His brother barely seemed to notice, but he didn't appear to care either. It was making Sollux's headache worse.

“You can put down 'nothing'. Or 'thing'. Or 'egg'.” Mituna dragged his arm a little, though stopped when it reached his tiles. Sollux decided to play Mituna's turn for him, and picked up Mituna's two g's.

“No.” Mituna grabbed Sollux's shirt sleeve weakly and clumsily.

“Mituna?”

“No.”

“...Okay, I won't play for you.”

“No...”

Sollux was confused. “What do you want?”

“No.”

“You sure like saying no, huh?” Sollux half-chuckled, but it was cut short when Mituna pulled Sollux in. “Uhhh...”

Mituna whimpered. Sollux attempted to get himself back on the chair, but Mituna dragged him back in, nearly jabbing broken bones into each other.

“Ahh! God, Mituna.” gasped Sollux, much to Mituna's weak and apologetic whimpers. “What are you doing?”

He wished he could pull back from Mituna, if he didn't have to fear Mituna jerking him forward and possibly breaking something; Both their injuries were bad enough as they were. So Sollux pushed the table with the Scrabble game aside, then awkwardly and carefully readjusted himself to Mituna's side, constantly reassuring his brother that he wasn't going away.

It was like this for each daily visit Sollux made. Mituna was getting increasingly conscious as the week progressed, but without the ability to open his mouth the only way Sollux could tell was Mituna's growing enthusiasm and curiosity in anything Sollux brought in and Mituna's incessant desire to speak. He seemed abnormally, yet unstably and unnervingly, happy. Sollux told himself not to get used to this, begged himself that this wasn't going to be the norm. But he knew the failed the day he came in to visit and saw Latula uncharacteristically quiet.

“Hello?”

Latula snapped out of her frozen state. “Oh. Uh, hi... Sollux.”

“Something happened, didn't it. What was it?”

“...It's no big deal.”

“I can see tears in the corner of your eyes. Don't hide it.”

“Well... um...”

“I'm sorry.” Mituna hiccupped through his wired shut mouth.

“He was trying to sit up by himself, and I tried to help him, but he wasn't really cool with that.:

“What do you mean?”

“He started screaming and swinging at me, an...”

Sollux sighed and brought a hand to his face. “God damn it, Mituna. Just what were you thinking?”

“Sollux, go easy on him!”

“I'm sorry...”

“He punched you!”

“I didn't say he did. Just that he tried!”

“That's still the same thing!”

“Sollux, Mituna's right here. He's already upset over what happened.”

“I... I -nngh- sorry, 'Tula.” Mituna slurred through new tears.

“I know you're sorry, babe.” Latula stood up. “I'm going to talk to Sollux for a minute, okay?”

“Okay.”

Sollux was ushered out of the room by Latula, who closed the door behind them. “Okay. Sollux, it's totally rad that you're being chivalrous and everything about this. It's not that I don't appreciate that, because I do, but 'Tuna isn't skating with all four wheels right now.”

“Dude. I don't want to be lectured about this.”

“He might not be ever able to to be his old self ever again!”

“I... I know that! But what does that have to do with what just happened?”

“He can't THINK right now. Mituna isn't going to be able to pick up or remember what is right or wrong until AFTER the fact. I know it sounds uncool to use that as a reason to say why what happened is okay...”

“It isn't!”

“I know it isn't, but it's uncool to be screaming at him right now because of what he does. It's gonna get him nowhere.”

“I can't believe you are saying this!”

 

“Sollux, listen to me. Right now it's fine, and it'll still be tolerable until he knows better and can better behave himself.”

“I would get sick of him trying to punch me after a while even before all this happened.”

“You're talking about a completely different thing Sollux and you know it.”

“Why do you insist that Mituna get away with this?”

Latula cast her gaze downward. “Do you even understand just how much Mituna lost in the crash? He's starting to learn that himself, and it's frustrating him. He's in a broken body and mind that for all intents and purposes aren't his.”

Sollux thought for a second to absorb Latula's few moments of deep, sincere seriousness. “I... I never wanted to think that.”

“I know. You were doing real good at avoiding that.”

“...Shut up.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For nine months these chapter was pretty close to completion. I've been keeping them hidden away for nine months. Away from you. Away from the world. Away from myself.

“Hey Sollux! Good to see your ass back to work!”

“Hi, Karkat.” Sollux replied as he plopped into his desk chair and turned on his work computer.

“You gonna work with that fucked up arm?”

“Dude. I think I can type with those fingers.”

“Sure. Whatever. How's Mituna?”

Sollux typed in his password before grunting. “He's okay.”

“Gonna come back to work and be an annoying shithead anytime soon?”

“I have no clue, Karkat. Look, he's okay right now. He's not gonna be some idiot who can't get out of bed ever. He's being transferred to a therapy unit later this week. He's going to get unfucked up.”

“So you admit he's fucked up right now?”

“Look, just let me get to work. Those bills are going to be bad when they come.”

Karkat groaned. “Fine. The boss wanted to talk to you when you got back. Just so you know.”

“What does he want?”

“I don't really fucking know. Just do whatever. I don't care. If he's going to fire you then that's going to be the first good decision he's ever done.”

Sollux scoffed. “Shut up, dickweed.”

Karkat growled, mostly to himself, but whatever portion that was directed to Sollux was paid no heed towards. Sollux just opened up the programs he needed and started straight to work. It was a full hour before their boss had wandered near their desks.

“...Karkat, did I tell you to tell Sollux to...”

“I did, and the dumbass just decided to sit down and work instead.”

“Really?...Huh. Anyway, Sollux?”

“...Is this going to keep me from...”

“Yeah. Come with me.”

Sollux showed a second of reluctance and got up from his office chair. He gave an ironic peace sign to piss Karkat off before following his boss to his office. Karkat bit his tongue as hard as he could without bleeding to avoid swearing, lest the boss do something “stupid” like “write him up or something equally moronic”. Once he was out of earshot Karkat let out a flurry of whispered curses to multiple Gods, then went back to pretend working or for real playing computer Solitare, depending on one's viewpoint. Sollux came back by himself about twenty minutes after.

“So what the fuck happened?” Karkat asked.

“He was being sympathetic as hell, but basically told me that if I needed anything to talk to him about it.”

“That shithead's being nice to you? He won't even let me swear during breaks, and that's when I even have fucking breaks!”

“Because you're literally a shit worker.”

“This place doesn't need my superior skills if that jerk keeps screwing around with my patience!”

“No seriously. You barely know how to code... and yet got a job as a coder. I'm pretty sure he knows that, though why he hasn't fired you yet is still a mystery. Anyway, I'm just way more valuable.”

“He's the only person to ever think that about you ever.”

Sollux grinned. “Love you too, Karkat. Go back to losing at Solitare on easy.”

The rest of the work day went along in a similar tone, with Karkat trying to bother Sollux needlessly but getting upset over his inability to bother his best friend. Though Sollux, as much as he was keeping his normal face on, was secretly thankful for this. Karkat and his crabby insistence that nothing ever happened, even if it was for his own private need for the self-preservation for the status quo, was likely Karkat's response to Sollux getting injured himself. Whatever Karkat's reason, Sollux preferred all of this.

Karkat stretched after the thousandth retort. “Well, I'm getting the fuck out of here. Need a ride home?”

“No thanks. I should probably catch up on my work.”

“You nearly are!”

“I was out two weeks, dickless. Despite what it may look like I have way more shit to get through.”

“I can't believe you're going to work overtime your first day here.”

“Every day's overtime. Your point?”

“It's your first day back. Quit now and rest or something. I don't want to see you... fucking being...”

“Awwww, how sweet. You actually care about me.”

“Quit now or I'll pull the plug on this computer.” Karkat normally would have been kidding if he weren't already grasping the computer's plug with sweet determination, so Sollux saved his work and logged off with resignation.

“Fine. There, I'm out for the day.”

“Good. Let's go.”

As Sollux got outside and into the passenger's seat of Karkat's junker, he silently prayed for more days just like these.

Karkat lit the remaining cigarette he had in his car and took a long and desperate puff. “Want to be dropped off at the hospital?”

“...Nnnnot tonight. Don't worry, I told Mituna I wouldn't be seeing him yesterday...He was bothered a little, but he didn't seem too upset, so I guess that's the okay.”

“So you're NOT attached at the hip with that asshat?”

“Just drive me home.”

“Fine, but I'm going to go into your home and annoy you until you admit that you two were attached at the hip.”

“You know that we just happen to have scars there. You saw me get it!”

“Whatever, Thollucks.” They got into Karkat's car. “Two tickets to Spazzville Apartments.”

Sollux and Karkat continued to be utterly obnoxious towards each other throughout the entire twenty minutes it took to reach Sollux and Mituna's shared apartment.

“Need a drink?” Sollux asked when they reached his door.

“Why yes. You're such a gracious host.” Karkat said sarcastically.

Sollux opened the door and turned. “You know where they are. I need to get the mail.”

Karkat uttered a mocking thanks before raiding Sollux's fridge for a cherry cola. Sollux returned a few minutes later with a short stack of mail.

“More fan mail from your fan club?”

“Fuck off, KK. Normally you're not this big of a dickweed.”

Karkat shrugged. “Catching up, I guess.”

“Whatever.” Sollux opened up an envelope marked from the hospital. “...Oh...goddamn.”

“What?”

“This is... it... look at how much they're asking.”

Sollux showed Karkat the bill, and Karkat's eyes widened. “That much for being in an intensive ward?” Sollux nodded. “Well... shit. Now I feel like a massive dick for dragging you home.”

Sollux said nothing, and opened up his fridge to grab a drink of his own.

What he wouldn't give to have kept in that bubble he had been in all day.


	6. Chapter 6

“S-Sollux!” squealed an excited Mituna when Sollux arrived to his room early Saturday morning. “Hi!”

Sollux took a seat next to his brother's bed. He was glad that the unsightly head braces were finally taken off since his last visit. “Sup, Mituna?”

Mituna uttered a slew of slurred and incomprehensible words and pointed to his broken leg in desperation.

“Are they trying to make sure that leg doesn't wither away?”

“Hhh-hurts.”

“I think it's supposed to be like that to some extent. Do you tell them?”

“Yeah. Stops. Comes back.” Mituna growled.

“Probably supposed to be like that.” Sollux knew that wasn't the best thing to say when his brother stammered a bunch of swears and slammed his fists into his bed. “Woah! God! Calm down!”

“NO. SHUT UP.” Mituna yelled through otherwise incomprehensible screeching.

“Ahh, fuck!” Sollux felt unnerved. “Okay, I'm sorry! Please stop!”

Mituna just kept on screaming for a good half minute until he was reduced to a trembling figure, unsteadily breathing and gasping before letting out a jerky, muffled apology.

“Mmnnghh... s-sorry.”

“...Are you okay?”

“Nnnnno... Very hard.”

“What do you mean?”

“Hurts. B-brain too slow.”

Sollux had no clue whatsoever on what Mituna was trying to say. “...That sucks.”

“Yeah.”

Mituna shrunk down into his bed almost immediately, and Sollux was preparing to ask again what was wrong, but glanced over his shoulder when he heard people enter into the room. They were several nurses, accompanied by a doctor.

The doctor with a clipboard was the first to speak. “Good morning, Mituna.”

Mituna whimpered a little and painfully attempted to turn away only to be held gently but firmly in place and be given soothing promises that no one was going to hurt him. He relaxed a little, and reluctantly allowed the nurses to start taking his vitals and other small tests. Mituna did not notice when the doctor pulling Sollux away. 

He pensively followed the doctor to just outside of Mituna's room. “W-what's happening? Is there anything wrong?”

The doctor riffled through the papers that he had on Mituna, and carefully analyzed the data within. “I'm not sure if you have seen any complications during your visits.”

“I don't think I have...?” Sollux grimaced. “Hard to understand him sometimes through the jaw brace.”

“I would assume so.”

“Okay. So what's up?”

It was the doctor's turn to grimace. “We were afraid this was going to happen... but he suffered several seizures last night.”

Sollux could feel the color in his face drain and a knot form in his throat all in an instant. He swallowed before uttering the one thing he could actually think up of. “I... I see.”

“We ran some tests and scans before you came in this morning. The results haven't returned just yet, but it's highly likely he will need epilepsy medication. Quite possibly a helmet as well, given the extent of his brain damage...”

“...God...” Sollux breathed. Everything in this fucked up situation he found himself in got another level of misery, and he felt it hard.

“Again, the results haven't come back. I... do wish I could say that what happened last night was only an isolated incident.”

“So do I, to be honest...”

“We'll call you when they return. It should be later today, no later than tomorrow, when we get them. In the meantime, though, we'll be monitoring him closely for developing seizures and treating them as they come.”

Sollux found himself looking at his shoes as the doctor continued on about his brother. He was unaware of what he was even saying. He just wanted to ignore the doctor. Ignore life. Maybe if he ignored hard enough, Sollux hoped, maybe none of this would actually be happening. He would just go to bed, and when he got up the next morning the car crash would never had happened. He'd meet up with Mituna in the kitchen, exchange benign retorts with one another in a mutually brotherly manner, and go to work together at the same office. Metaphorically joined at the hip...

“Did you get all of that, Sollux?”

...but this was like having his brother gruesomely separated from him and then further chopped up into a near-unrecognizable mess.

“Uh... y-yeah.”

The doctor saw past Sollux's easy-to-spot lie. “I was asking what medicine we should start Mituna out with.”

“Uh... first one?”

He scribbled something down. “First one it is. Should we use the second one in case the first one doesn't work out?”

“...Sure?”

“Very well.” he scribbled more incomprehensible doctor chickenscratch. “I'll be with your brother for a few minutes, if that's okay.”

Sollux nodded dumbly, and after some mental confusion on whether or not he should be with his brother, made the split second decision to wait nervously outside Mituna's hospital room. Hands were wrung either softly or hardly depending on how much Mituna was protesting and crying and screaming at a particular moment. Suddenly, Mituna's screaming fragmented and disintegrated blazingly fast, and Sollux could not help poking his head in to see exactly what was going on. He could see Mituna's legs jerking around as much as his casts and restraints would allow. The nurses had him both firmly yet gently held down at the arms, which Sollux could see were also spasming about. It was over in a fraction of a moment when the doctor injected Mituna with what was most likely some sort of anti-convulsant, and Mituna immediately stopped moving.

“Oh my God, that did not just happen.” Sollux breathed.

The doctor returned back in the hall after a couple of moments, and Sollux locked gaze with him. The doctor looked back and remained silent for a while, likely so that Sollux could speak, yet neither of them spoke up. Sollux noted that this doctor was looking at him with deepest sympathy, as if Mituna had just died under his care, even as Mituna's breathing returned to its pre-seizure pace. He then handed Sollux a folder containing informational pamphlets and data containing Mituna's physical tests and statuses, as well as a treatment timeline and a thick section for medication information and suggested prescription options.

It would be later discarded for the day onto Sollux's desk while he laid nearly motionless under a large blanket, sad and scared of the world that was to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OpenOffice spelling suggestions for Mituna include: tsunami, unanimity, mittens, and Medina.


End file.
